About a month ago, I touched down in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is the farthest east I have ever been, and in fact, its so far east, I think its actually west. Or just about. It is basically completely the other side of the world.
Of course, I forgot to write about it or put in any pictures the first time. It wasn't terribly exciting so for the most part, there wasn't all that much to see. We stayed in Bekasi, which is sort of a suburb of Jakarta, but really its all just part of one huge city. Jakarta is giant, something like 10 or 14 million people and while it is definitely more developed in terms of infrastructure than some of the giant cities I have been in, at the end of the day, a city is a city. Unless its a giant city, and then its just a city with even more traffic.
Malls are a really big thing there. Malls and Starbucks are basically on every corner. So you know, Starbucks are pretty much the same everywhere. I have to say, once I ordered my double soy latte, and it tasted just like a double soy latte at home, well... there is just something so reassuring about that.
I read a book once in a political theory class about the rise in "nowhere spaces", spaces in the world that are all sort of exactly the same, like a McDonalds or, as it turns out, a Starbucks, that are completely uninfluenced by the culture or geography in which they exist and are the same everywhere. And by being the same, by being everywhere, they essentially exist nowhere. It was a discussion of globalization and while interesting, the reality of the nowhere spaces is kind of nice. Its just a comforting feeling to know that in the midst of new food, new drinks, new reactions to foods, new languages and everything else, that you can go to your nowhere space and order something that you know will be what you want. That said, there are maybe too many nowhere spaces when there is a Starbucks, a Domino's, a Pizza Hut, a KFC and a McDonalds all within 500 feet.
Anyway, back to the malls...
We went to one mall and saw a covered wagon ferris wheel at an inside amusement park
And some statues that I have no idea what to make of...
A different mall had a Beatles tribute concert that brought out all of the twisting skills of the local teenagers. And one mall, blessedly, had wine.
Lest you think we spent all of our time in malls, let me correct you. We spent most of our time here... In a conference room, teaching.
I was not. Razor sharp talons. Thats what those guys have. So I hung out with this fellow. Much more speed. And taste in outfits..
And then after the bird park, we saw some traditional dancing...
And explored a replica of a traditional house in Papua, complete with carvings of ummm well... carvings of something....
And we took a tram ride...
All of this happened in Jakarta. Now I am back again, in Yogyakarta (pronounced JogJakarta) and will post a few more pictures and rambling thoughts in the days to come.
Of course, I forgot to write about it or put in any pictures the first time. It wasn't terribly exciting so for the most part, there wasn't all that much to see. We stayed in Bekasi, which is sort of a suburb of Jakarta, but really its all just part of one huge city. Jakarta is giant, something like 10 or 14 million people and while it is definitely more developed in terms of infrastructure than some of the giant cities I have been in, at the end of the day, a city is a city. Unless its a giant city, and then its just a city with even more traffic.
Malls are a really big thing there. Malls and Starbucks are basically on every corner. So you know, Starbucks are pretty much the same everywhere. I have to say, once I ordered my double soy latte, and it tasted just like a double soy latte at home, well... there is just something so reassuring about that.
I read a book once in a political theory class about the rise in "nowhere spaces", spaces in the world that are all sort of exactly the same, like a McDonalds or, as it turns out, a Starbucks, that are completely uninfluenced by the culture or geography in which they exist and are the same everywhere. And by being the same, by being everywhere, they essentially exist nowhere. It was a discussion of globalization and while interesting, the reality of the nowhere spaces is kind of nice. Its just a comforting feeling to know that in the midst of new food, new drinks, new reactions to foods, new languages and everything else, that you can go to your nowhere space and order something that you know will be what you want. That said, there are maybe too many nowhere spaces when there is a Starbucks, a Domino's, a Pizza Hut, a KFC and a McDonalds all within 500 feet.
Anyway, back to the malls...
We went to one mall and saw a covered wagon ferris wheel at an inside amusement park
And some statues that I have no idea what to make of...
A different mall had a Beatles tribute concert that brought out all of the twisting skills of the local teenagers. And one mall, blessedly, had wine.
Lest you think we spent all of our time in malls, let me correct you. We spent most of our time here... In a conference room, teaching.
And getting a lot of these looks...
But teamwork always clarified when we failed. And now our students have become the master (trainers).
So I am back for Round 2, when our students teach new students, and so forth. Before I get into that though, here are a few more pictures from my first visit...
We went to a bird park...
The fearsome Cassowary. Really. Its the most dangerous bird in the world. It killed someone. In 1905.
And it sounds like a dinosaur from Jurassic Park. Shani was very brave against the fearsome bird...
And then after the bird park, we saw some traditional dancing...
And explored a replica of a traditional house in Papua, complete with carvings of ummm well... carvings of something....
And we took a tram ride...
All of this happened in Jakarta. Now I am back again, in Yogyakarta (pronounced JogJakarta) and will post a few more pictures and rambling thoughts in the days to come.
